1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing terminal, a server, an information processing program and a computer-readable recording medium storing the same, for providing information to an external apparatus and/or users by performing different kinds of information processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a sensor system called a sensor field has been proposed. FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing a construction of the conventional sensor field. As shown in FIG. 12, the sensor field includes a terminal 121 for receiving fixed information from an information tag 124 (sensor). The terminal 121 exchanges different kinds of information with an information processing server 123 over a network 122.
In other words, the terminal 121 has a function of providing information to users and a function of gathering information from the information tag 124. The terminal 121 gathers space-related information called fixed information from the information tag 124 and sends the information to the information processing server 123. On the other hand, the terminal 121 receives processed information (different kinds of information in accordance with the current position of the terminal 121) from the information processing server 123 and provides the information to users. The form of the terminal 121 may vary, such as a mobile telephone and a robot-type terminal.
In FIG. 12, the fixed information (space-related information) sent from the information tag 124 includes positional coordinate information and name information corresponding to positional coordinates, which are stored in the information tag 124. The fixed information is information given by a manager in advance. The fixed information (space-related information) may be in any form as long as the information can be stored in the information tag 124 in advance. The information tag 124 sends the fixed information (space-related information) in response to a request from the terminal 121.
In the sensor field, the fixed information (space-related information) desired by a user is provided from the information tag 124 to the terminal 121 only in timing instructed to the terminal 121 by the user. Then, the fixed information (space-related information) is sent to the information processing server 123. Therefore, the load of controlling the entire system is smaller than that of a system for continuously receiving the fixed information (space-related information) from the information tag 124 and for sending the information to the information processing server 123. Furthermore, the invasion of user's privacy due to the information supply more than necessary can be avoided advantageously.
However, the conventional sensor field has the following problems as discussed below.
In the sensor field, fixed information (space-related information) corresponding to the locations must be registered with respective information tags in advance. Therefore, when many information tags are provided, for example, when the implementation of an information supply service is attempted in a wide area, not only are the information tags provided, but also fixed information (space-related information) corresponding to the information tags must be registered. As a result, the registration work becomes extremely complicated.
Generally, the work of registering fixed information (space-related information) requires a high level of expertise. The information tag may be more easily provided at a place of a public nature and where an expert can easily be sent, such as a station and a street corner. On the other hand, providing an information tag is difficult in a place where sending an expert is difficult, such as a private place like an ordinary household.
For these reasons, the building of infrastructure, such as providing many information tags, is prevented. As a result, the spread of network service using the sensor field is delayed.
Also, when fixed information (space-related information) having been registered with an information tag once, needs to be changed or to be registered again, changing and re-registration are also complicated and difficult disadvantageously in the same manner as discussed above. For example, fixed information (space-related information) having been registered once, may need to be changed or re-registered when a station name registered as fixed information (space-related information) is subsequently changed.
Furthermore, general users are not familiar with most of the contents of fixed information (space-related information) registered with each of the information tags by an expert. In this case, network services cannot be provided to users by using familiar tone and/or general names to the users.